


The Volunteers

by alljustletters



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-29 12:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3897070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alljustletters/pseuds/alljustletters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>HYDRA is on the lookout for powered people. There is intel on a pair of twins from Sokovia with amazing potential. They want to harness that, and amplify it with their alien tech.<br/>Meanwhile, the Maximoff twins are struggling with the demons of their past and the new powers they don't understand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Volunteers

The air had changed moments before the bombs fell. It carried an unfamiliar, unnatural heat that stung in the eyes and buzzed in the ears. When the first explosion tore apart their house, the impact threw Wanda against the wall of her bedroom. Gasping, coughing, she opened her mouth to scream, but her lungs were full of dirt and ashes and fire. She couldn’t see. She couldn’t breathe. All she could think of was getting away, getting out, but she didn’t even know where to turn. The tears on her face evaporated immediately from the heat. There was fire everywhere.  
“<Wanda!>” Her brother’s voice somehow made it through the chaos. She could feel his hands on her shoulders, grabbing her almost violently, and then his face, young and soft and full of panic, was the only thing she could see. “<Wanda, you need to wake up!>”  
Her eyes flung open, revealing Pietro, an older Pietro, much taller and more angular, hovering over her – but she didn’t wake up. The bombs were still falling, the fire was still burning. Again, she screamed without making a sound, her hands desperately moving up to grab her brother’s face, and his eyes opened and she knew that now he could see it, too. “<Wanda. _Please_. >” The strain of speaking made his voice break. “<Little sister, the war is over. You have to calm down.>”  
With all the effort she could muster, Wanda concentrated on the nightmare and pulled back. The fire died down, the sounds of destruction faded. The only thing blinding her now were the tears, and she allowed them to run freely as her brother brushed back her hair and kissed her hands and murmured soft words of compassion and pride. “<It’s okay now. You did so well. Everything is fine.>”  
She had forgotten how it felt to sleep for a whole night. At first, the memories had only haunted her as dreams, but then the magic entered their life and suddenly she could make them manifest. And despite Pietro always rushing to her side when they took over reality, she didn’t feel like it was getting any better. She didn’t feel like _she_ was getting any better.

It was during breakfast that the man came for them. Pietro was by the door before the last knock. His eyes never left Wanda, as they both took strategic positions for a fight. Their place was part of the network of activists they belonged to, and nobody who didn’t know the secret knock should even be aware of someone living here. Should it turn out to be the police, Pietro was ready to grab his sister and run. Nobody could run like Pietro. That was what the magic had done for him.  
“<I can assure you I do not work for your government,>” the man said. His voice was muffled by the door between them, but his Sokovian was unmistakably laced with a thick German accent. Wanda’s brows furrowed, but after a moment of contemplation she nodded for her brother to open. They were greeted by a polite smile and a firmly offered hand. Pietro didn’t take it.  
“<Mister Maximoff, Miss Maximoff, it is an honor to meet you. My name is Doctor List. I am a scientist from an independent international organization, and I have an offer for you. May I come in?>” It was obvious that he didn’t truly expect an answer, and they didn’t give him one. They just shifted their positions and closed the door behind him as he stepped into the room. “<I understand your mistrustfulness. It is what has protected you thus far. But I am sure the arrangement we want to offer you will be mutually beneficial.>” List crossed his arms behind his back, his gaze lingering on Wanda. Something about him gave off the impression of a military training. It set the twins on edge, made Pietro’s legs shuffle and Wanda’s fingers twitch.  
For some reason, this brought a smile to the doctor’s face. “<I have no doubt you could easily overwhelm me if you wanted. All that power pulsing through your veins … Of course you do not quite understand what it means, where it comes from, what it can do. You need help. Guidance. And that is where my organization comes in.>”  
This time, Pietro did not wait for his sister’s approval to take action. In the blink of an eye he had moved, shoved himself between List and Wanda, shielding her from his sight. His fists were clenched, ready to fight. “<Who told you about us?>”  
“<Young man, you have nothing to fear from me. I only have your best interests at heart.>”  
“<My brother asked you a question,>” Wanda said coldly, harshly, and she took a step forward to side with her brother. As always, their hands found each other. “<I find it hard to consider somebody trustworthy who refuses to even give straight answers.>”  
List chuckled, an almost pleasant sound. “<You are of course right, Miss Maximoff. See, my organization has taken an interest in special people, people with powers – people like you. Yes,>” he continued, rightly judging the looks on their faces. “<There are indeed more people like you! Our goal, my goal, is to find out where these powers come from, how they work, and to help you control and use them to their fullest potential.>” His voice suddenly turned soft, fatherly. “<They must be so confusing, so scary for you. You are lucky to have each other to confide in, most who are in this situation are entirely alone with their discovery. And so they make bad decisions, they endanger themselves and others. Too many of them lose their souls and lives in the struggle, to drugs, to depression, to insanity. It is our intention, no, our _mission_ to save as many as possible. To show them their potential, teach them, make them strong.>” With a sort of final grand gesture, the doctor stepped closer to them, presenting his upturned hands like a peace offering. “<So, this is my offer. A chance for you. A future.>”

Maybe they should have taken longer to think about it, to process everything, to ask more questions, but he was right. They were scared, and they were lost, and he offered them hope. So they took it.


End file.
